It's that time again and boy there are some amazing demos to try out! Steam Next Fest gives developers the chance to showcase the demos to their upcoming games and there are some amazing ones to try out! Here is our list of ones that we have tried and can easily recommend to others:
Eternights (SDHQ Preview)
A unique mix of real-time action RPG and dating simulator. Read more about it in our preview, but this is definitely a demo you won't want to miss! Runs very well at 50 FPS if you're trying to save battery, but it can hit 60 in most areas.
Sea of Stars
A beautiful love-letter to older JRPGs. To some, it will be a nostalgia trip through its design, but it will be an experience everyone should try with its fantastic visuals, great turn-based combat, and engrossing journey. It also runs like a charm on the Steam Deck!
Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition (SDHQ Preview)
A fantastic remake of the classic boomer-shooter with all its content and more packed into it. Runs at an easy 60 throughout the game, but does freeze for half a second occasionally. Definitely not enough to ruin the experience though!
Ugly (SDHQ Preview)
A puzzle-platformer with a unique twist on how you must solve problems...by using a mirror version of yourself to switch between! There is more to say in our preview, but I love the way the story is told and how we get a look into the psyche of the main character. This also runs like a charm on the Steam Deck!
Paleo Pines (SDHQ Preview)
A cozy farming game where you live in a world of dinosaurs that you can work with to get jobs done faster! You can read more in our preview, but overall I was left optimistic with the game, even with some of the faults I found! The game also runs decently at 40 FPS.
Mythforce
A unique first-person shooter with a 90s cartoon aesthetic. This roguelike adventure is a bit hard to run on the Deck right now, needing 30 FPS lock, but I like the unique feeling this one gives. Hopefully, the full release will run a bit better, but it is still worth your time to check out!
Wizard With a Gun
A singleplayer or co-op action-adventure sandbox where you play as a wizard collecting, crafting, and shooting your way through a magical wilderness. It runs quite well on the Steam Deck, hitting 60 FPS with some small drops here and there with no caps, great for a demo!
Hammerwatch 2
A pretty, pixelated diablo-lite that has you running around a world alone or with friends to get loot, level up, complete quests, and more! It runs flawlessly on the Steam Deck, though some menus will have you moving a cursor around. Still, definitely worth playing!
Stop Dead
Run fast, pull in objects, and demolish the enemy as a telekinetic superhuman. You will run through each level, trying to complete it as fast as possible without stopping, but all enemies must die! The game runs quite well on the Deck, hitting 60 most of the time and only dropping in areas with a large amount of enemies.
Back to the Dawn
You have been framed and incarcerated, now you must find a way to escape and expose the dark conspiracy that brought you to jail. Take your time, befriend inmates, and do whatever you can to figure out a way break out. The game runs fantastic on the Steam Deck, sticking to 60 FPS, but it does drain a bit more when going to your cell block.
Fortune's Run
A first-person RPG where you are left behind in a decaying industrial world. Master a deep combat system mixed with gorgeous visuals that will leave you stunned as you travel throughout the world and even to the stars. The game runs fantastic on the Steam Deck, but does need some controller support (or a community controller configuration) to really enjoy.
Surmount
Fling yourself around to climb a mountain in this platforming adventure. Master physics-based swinging as you do whatever you can to reach the top of the mountain. The game not only has controller support, but works flawlessly on the Steam Deck at 60 FPS!
El Paso, Elsewhere
Take your stakes and get ready to fight werewolves and vampires in a trippy motel. Pick up your guns and utilize slow-mo capabilities to save the victims of Draculae, the lord of the vampires. The game can run decently on the Steam Deck at 30 FPS with some setting tweaks, but this is still an awesome demo to play!
And those are the demos we have found that really stand out! We might update this list again before the Next Fest ends on June 26th, but let us know your favorite demos you have tried so far in the comments or on Twitter!
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A bit late since next fest is already over but I'm kind of disappointed my favorite game from next fest, “The Matchless Kungfu”, hasn't been mentioned anywhere so I'm going to mention it here anyway. It's an open world wuxia rpg sandbox that I could see eventually building a strong cult following if nothing else. I tried out nearly 50 demos and it was my favorite by far. Finding gems like these is what really makes these demo events worthwhile for me. The developer seems open to receiving feedback from steam deck owners too and said they would try to find a way to make it compatible later on which is good to hear. It actually was compatible for me but it does have performance issues later into the game so I'm hoping they are able to somehow resolve that.
Thank you for bringing it to my attention, it looks awesome! I have it wishlisted now, can't wait to see what the full game will be like.